What Is The Meaning of Lent?
Many children (and those who are kids at heart) have a lot of questions about the season of Lent and its purpose. Our team found a great explanation to some of the most common questions from The United Methodist Church.
What is Lent?
Lent is a season of forty days, not counting Sundays, which begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday. Lent comes from the Anglo Saxon word lencten, which means “spring.” The forty days represents the time Jesus spent in the wilderness, enduring the temptation of Satan and preparing to begin his ministry.
Why Do We Celebrate Lent?
Lent is a time of repentance, fasting and preparation for the coming of Easter. It is a time of self-examination and reflection. In the early church, Lent was a time to prepare new converts for baptism. Today, Christians focus on their relationship with God, often choosing to give up something or to volunteer and give of themselves for others.
Why is it Longer Than 40 Days?
Sundays in Lent are not counted in the forty days because each Sunday represents a “mini-Easter” and the reverent spirit of Lent is tempered with joyful anticipation of the Resurrection.
Lent Activities For Kids
Make the most of your time in Lent with this LentDevotional* to do with your kids. The prayer calendar is really popular among youth leaders and Christian parents wanting to help the kids in their lives get the most out of the season.
To learn more about the season of lent, visit the article here.
Source: United Methodist Church Website
Devotional Source: Jesus on the Cross, Jesus on the Throne, was written by Sabrina Hadro and is offered through Downloadyouthministry.
